Alcohol-Related Crash in PA Kills WV Policeman

Police officer killed by drunk driver in crash during car chase

A man fleeing police led them on a chase from West Virginia into Pennsylvania where the suspect slammed into a police cruiser, killing 41-year-old Monongalia County, WV Sgt. Michael Todd May.  According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of homicide by vehicle, and police are awaiting BAC test results.  Police believe the man was driving drunk and taking prescription anti-anxiety drugs.

The Saturday morning accident occurred after police stopped a 35-year-old man suspected of an earlier hit-and-run accident.  Instead of getting out of the car, the man drove off.  May had pulled his SUV off the road on I-79 near the one-mile marker and was ready to assist in stopping the vehicle when the suspect crashed into him.

May leaves behind his parents and a younger brother. He loved hunting, fishing and riding his Harley with his buddies, and had a reputation for being willing to give the shirt off his back to help his friends, according to news reports.

“I don’t know anybody that could ever say anything bad about him,” Monongalia County Sheriff Al Kisner said.

Officer Down reports 19 policemen have died in the line of duty in the United States this year.  Seven of the deaths were automobile accidents.  May was the first WV policeman to die this year.

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation reports drinking and driving is a top safety issue for the state. In 2010, there were 12,426 alcohol-related crashes resulting in 459 fatalities. On average, according to PennDOT, each day 34 alcohol-related traffic crashes occur.

Our Pennsylvania automobile accident attorneys extend our condolences to the family of Officer May and to all families who have suffered a loss in an accident on our Pennsylvania highways this year.

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If you have been injured or a loved one killed in a vehicle accident that was caused by another person’s carelessness or recklessness, you may be able to recover damages that include medical costs, property loss, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

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